Monday, January 06, 2014

My favorite player of the 1910s is back in the news. Toledo News-Bee, January 6, 1914:

Tubby Spencer, of the San Francisco team, holds a record for being canned out of a game before a ball was pitched. The Seals were playing at Sacramento one day last fall and the first ‘Frisco bater took his place at the plate just as the umpire made the announcements of the battery. Tubby, who was standing near the bench, turned around and faced the grandstand and in a close imitation of the umpire’s manner shouted: “Mr. Umps will favor the home team as usual.” That remark send him to the clubhouse.

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Early Wynn announced for the White Sox on radio for a couple of years in the early 1980's. The one thing I remember about that is his call of a Scott Fletcher home run when the play-by-play guy (Joe McConnell, I think) was away from the booth for an inning, which meant it was probably about the fifth inning. "HE DID IT!!! HE DID IT!!! THE LITTLE GUY DID IT!!! HE DID!!!"

It made "GIANTS WIN THE PENNANT" sound like a routine fly ball in spring training.

Norm Charlton is a good (minor) example of why the 2001 Mariners were the luckiest team of all-time.

From 1997-2000, pitching for 5 teams, Charlton had an ERA of 6.26 while averaging 6.4 BB/9.

He re-joins the Mariners for 2001, and, whaddayaknow, the 38 year-old (in his final season) gives them 48 innings (44 games) of 3.02 ERA pitching, with 48 Ks and only 11 walks. (And 3 more scoreless appearances in the post-season.)

Norm Charlton is a good (minor) example of why the 2001 Mariners were the luckiest team of all-time.

From 1997-2000, pitching for 5 teams, Charlton had an ERA of 6.26 while averaging 6.4 BB/9.

He re-joins the Mariners for 2001, and, whaddayaknow, the 38 year-old (in his final season) gives them 48 innings (44 games) of 3.02 ERA pitching, with 48 Ks and only 11 walks. (And 3 more scoreless appearances in the post-season.)

He wasn't the only guy to go out on a high note. They had 33 YO Ed Sprague give them a career high 119 OPS+ in his final season. And 37 YO Stan Javier a 109 (second best of his career) in his final season. And it wasn't his final season, but entering 2001, 36 YO Mark McLemore was a career 79 OPS+ hitter. So naturally he hits a career high 115 with a career high 39 steals and a career best SB%.

Did not know that about the 2001 team... throw in of course Boone's seaons and you have to wonder if maybe Alex accidently left behind his training schedule... I can see the 2001 Mariners stumbling upon a hidden chest in a deep cave below the spring training facility... kind of like Goonies...

There are approximately 732 guys with the Ray Olmedo skill set: Hit .230 without power or OBP, run reasonably well, and play adequate defense at 2B and SS. I think he owes his extended MLB career to managers who want to know what to expect from a guy, even when "what to expect" is "crap".